JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/10/21

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 5/10/21

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2:15

How worried (if any) should we be about McKenzie Gore’s command issues thus far? I saw his first start in AAA didn’t go so well - 3 IP, 3 ER. Do you still think he lives up to his 70 FV grade?

Ben Clemens

2:15

I'll generally defer to Eric and Kevin on questions like these, except to say that definitely don't judge minor leaguers after one start

However worried you were before spring training about his command, be that worried now

DJ

2:15

Yesterday the Brewers used Josh Hader in the bottom of the 9th of a tie game, and then brought in Drew Rasmussen to pitch the 10th inning. When their best case scenario in the bottom of the 9th is just getting to extra innings wouldn't they be much better off saving a high strikeout, low WHIP reliever such as Hader for extra innings given the new extra runner rule?

Ben Clemens

2:16

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/save-your-closer-terms-and-conditions-may-...

I 100% think so and wrote about it last year

Definitely think someone should do this

Fernando Tatis Jr.

2:17

When should the Padres worry about his long-term sustainability at shortstop? He's bottom of the barrel in errors, OAA, DRS, and UZR (my UZR/150 is -38.5!). Obviously they need his bat in the lineup, but if this downturn is more than just noise, they have to at least think about it, right?

Ben Clemens

2:17

After I dunno, 2.5 years of consistently bad defense? If it's visually awful, less than that

Errors are the type of bad defense I'd be least concerned about, as well

Like, if his range takes a huge dive, faster

2:18

But if it's throwing errors (and it is, he's doing REALLY badly there)

That's not really indicative of a core problem

2:19

It has been really weird to see him go from spraying errors everywhere (in 2019)

to really clean (in 2020)

back to spraying errors everywhere

2:20

Don't really know how to think about that, honestly

tony

2:20

lindor gonna turn his hitting around?

Ben Clemens

2:20

I'll go out on a limb and say yes (note: not out on a limb)

Jacob

2:21

Does Fangraphs still keep pitcher pace on record? I'm having trouble finding it.

Ben Clemens

2:23

We lost it at some point, and I don't remember when.

I will come back to you on this

Ben > Roger

2:23

If you could turn fangraphs into a site about anything else other than baseball, what would you choose?

Ben Clemens

2:23

Wonderful question. Perhaps graphs about fans, as that would keep the name going

2:24

But more realistically, something about games. Board (and card) games are probably the thing I spend the most time thinking about after baseball

proiste

2:24

What has caused Matt Barnes to turn into vintage Craig Kimbrel?

Ben Clemens

2:24

Find out tomorrow!

(because I'm writing about him)

(not as we speak, but before the chat and I will be again after it)

Curtis

2:24

Is parity good for the product called "Major League Baseball"?

Ben Clemens

2:25

I don't thikn so, honestly

I don't feel super strongly about this opinion

But I find I enjoy the parity-filled division races quite a bit less than when there are really good teams to argue over

2:26

And root against/for depending on allegiance

I also think that parity leads to teams not trying to improve all that hard in the way the game is currently set up, which is just bad overall

That said, having the same teams always be the good ones is frustrating, and I get that parity helps with that

I suppose what I'm saying is that this is a great question

mike

2:26

have you seen anything to suggest that the new ball is affecting hitters differently? Anecdotally it seems like those hitters that aren't league average (let's call them bottom of the lineup guys) are being impacted more. Maybe I just follow a team where that is feels true...

Ben Clemens

2:27

One thing that I'm pretty sure of is that batters who needed good batted ball results to float their output are being hurt the most

2:28

I'm not really sure how to track that back to where people bat in the lineup, but it wouldn't shock me

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